MotoGP Assen: Pre-Race (updated regularly)

NEWEST AT TOP

Bridgestone

Round 7: Dutch GP – Free Practice – TT Circuit Assen, Thursday 25 June 2009

Slick tyre compounds available: Front: Soft, Medium.    Rear: Soft, Medium

Using medium compound front and rear Bridgestone slicks, LCR Honda’s Randy de Puniet snatched the top spot for the first time this year in the closing minutes of the hour-long free practice session. The Frenchman finished just 0.005 seconds ahead of Fiat Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi (using the medium compound slicks) in the closest gap of the season, equal to that between Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo during qualifying for the French GP. Also using the medium compound Bridgestone slicks, Ducati Team’s Casey Stoner was third, just 0.035 seconds adrift of de Puniet. The top eleven riders were split by fewer than 0.7 seconds.

The weather for free practice, held on Thursday in Assen rather than the normal Friday slot, remained dry and sunny, giving the teams the opportunity to conduct valuable running on Bridgestone’s soft and medium compound slicks in consistent track conditions. By the end of the session, the medium compound Bridgestone slicks were favoured for their increased stability.

Tohru Ubukata – Bridgestone Motorsport – Manager Motorcycle Race Tyre Development: “We had the chance to gather more good data from our soft and medium compound slicks today in conditions that were consistent and at a more normal temperature than we experienced in Catalunya. During the session we saw riders  using  both  tyre  options  and  both  worked  well  in  these  conditions  showing  a  good  overlap  of  each  tyre’s operating range. The stability given by the medium compound slicks is better which is why they were preferred in these conditions at this track.“Assen is a flowing circuit which is why the temperature of the shoulder area of the tyres is quite high on both the fronts and rears. Almost all the corners here are high-speed and riders enter them trailing the brakes, especially the front, which loads the front of the bike more and is the reason that the front tyre shoulder temperatures are higher.However even in these conditions I am happy with the consistency of both compounds.”

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MotoGP

The press conference room in the Assen media centre was packed to the rafters on Wednesday afternoon as MotoGP’s ‘big guns’ previewed the 61st annual FIM World Championship event at the historic Dutch venue.

Fiat Yamaha’s Barcelona protagonists, Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo, were joined by the man who sits alongside them at the head of the standings on 106 points, Ducati Marlboro’s Casey Stoner, to set the scene for the Alice TT Assen. Also answering questions were Rizla Suzuki’s Loris Capirossi and Repsol Honda rider Andrea Dovizioso.

Aiming to create his own piece of history this weekend as he goes in search of Grand Prix victory number 100, Rossi looked ahead to the next three days of action, stating, “It is a great track here, it is always difficult because some of the corners have high banks, whereas others are very flat so it is difficult understand the braking points. I made my only mistake in a race last season here (referring to an early collision with Randy de Puniet), so we have to make sure it is better this year.”

Just like in the Barcelona race, Lorenzo was right alongside his teammate to hype up this Saturday’s event, and he too was full of praise for the historic circuit.

“I always tell everyone that this is my favourite track. I liked it even more before it was modified but it continues to be great fun to ride and the atmosphere is wonderful,” he said. “Also, I am really pleased that the championship is so close this year and we hope to carry on providing a good show.”

Looking far less peaky than he did on the podium of the last round, Stoner was non-committal on his chances of repeating his 2008 Assen victory.

“We had a fantastic race here last year, and our bike worked very well. We have a new bike this year and it is a different situation, so we have to wait and see what happens when we start on Thursday.”

Ahead of that practice session, a selection of FIM World Championship riders took to the track with some classic machinery as part of the ‘MotorDreamEvenTT’ appetiser on Wednesday. Lorenzo was one of those trying out a vintage bike, riding a Jarno Saarinen 250cc Yamaha, whilst Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s 2006 nearly-man Colin Edwards finally got the chance to ride a race-winning machine at Assen -Jack Middelburg’s 500cc machine from 1980.

Rizla Suzuki’s Chris Vermeulen rode the 1976 500cc Suzuki of his hero and mentor Barry Sheene, Hayate Racing rider Marco Melandri took control of a Lorenzo Pasolini 1968 Benelli replica and Dutch 125cc youngster Jasper Iwema was riding a 1972 Seel machine for the afternoon run-out.

Scot Racing pair Yuki Takahashi and Gabor Talmacsi, meanwhile, rode a 1976 Mike Hailwood Honda replica and a 1976 Bob McIntyre Honda, respectively.

Before the end of the day, the first confirmation of a new arrival in MotoGP for 2010 was made in the San Carlo Gresini hospitality area. Reigning 250cc World Champion Marco Simoncelli was announced as part of Fausto Gresini’s project for next season, making his debut in the premier class.

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Pramac Racing

After having participated to last Wednesday’s press conference to present the Dutch Grand Prix, Niccolò Canepa is back in the prestigious Assen circuit not in the best physical conditions due to influenza. The Pramac Racing rider is now recovering and will try to be at his best for tomorrow afternoon free practice. On this track the Italian rider made his debut in a European competition: it was in 2004 when he has ridden for the first time in the Superstock 1000.

His teammate, Mika Kallio, is in great form also thanks to the good results achieved in the last test in Barcelona, when also thanks to some technical updates, he registered the fourth best lap time. The Finnish rider really appreciates Assen circuit and believes to be able to have a good race. In 2006, when he was competing in the 125cc class, he conquered here victory starting from pole position.

Assen circuit is the only one that since 1949, when the World Championship was created, where a race has been organized every year. For this reason and with the high average speed allowed by the lines of this track, Assen circuit is known as the “University of Motorcycle racing”. The track is 4555 meters long and it has 11 right turns and 6 left turns. The main straight is 560 meters long.

Fabiano Sterlacchini – Pramac Racing Technical Director
“We arrive here in Assen with a lot of trust. During the day of testing in Barcelona we reached a really competitive level and also here we will have the same updates that should help us to improve. We have some other small updates but we will evaluate only tomorrow if we will use them or not. Mika is really concentrated and on this track he has already achieved good results in the past. Hopefully he will be able to repeat with us. Niccolò arrives here a bit ill but we hope he can be as his best for tomorrow first free practice.”

Mika Kallio – Pramac Racing rider
“This has usually been for me a favorable track in the past. In 2006, when I was riding in 125cc, I won starting from pole position. In the past years also Ducati achieved some positive results here and therefore we can aim at a good result. For sure I preferred the track a few years ago, now the first part is too slow. The things I like the most of this circuit is the atmosphere there is thanks to the great fans that come here. I can breathe a marvelous ambient with true motorcycle fans. Here there is history and we can see it.”

Niccolò Canepa – Pramac Racing rider
“Five years ago I have done my European debut on this track. I was 16 and I was riding for Kawasaki Bertocchi in the Superstock 1000 World Cup and if my memory isn’t too bad I concluded in 22nd position. Who knew that I would have come here five years later in the top class of motorcycle racing? I have done many sacrifices to arrive here and I know I have still many to do. I am trying to use in the best way possible this first year to learn the secrets of this new world. It hasn’t be easy to get used to it, but time is on my side. I was ill in the past few days and I hope I’ll better tomorrow when the time to step on track will come.”

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LCR Honda

Assen, 24 June: the MotoGP circus moved to the north of the Netherlands this week end for the seventh round of the season at the Dutch historic circuit of Assen. With its great atmosphere and unique history Assen is one of the riders’ favourite circuit even it has changed recently reducing the lap distance from 6.027km to 4.555km in 2005.

Riding the LCR Honda RC212V Randy De Puniet currently hold 9th place in the premier class points standing thanks to his good placements in the first part of the season. The Frenchman arrived in Assen determined to get closer to the front and has got clear ideas about his machine set up ahead the 26-lap race on Saturday.

De Puniet: “Assen is another amazing track on the MotoGP calendar. I like it very much although it was modified three years ago, which took away some of its character. I have been very fast at Assen in the past – even  last year I was fast there but in the beginning of the race Rossi hit me and I ran off the track  into the gravel. The straights are not very long and the high corners required speed suit my riding style and my bike set-up. Considering the competitiveness of my machine package and my positive results at recent races I think we can again finish in the top ten this weekend.”

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San Carlo Honda Gresini

For more than a decade the final Saturday in June has meant only one thing for the San Carlo Honda Gresini Team – the Dutch TT at the legendary Assen circuit. Known in Europe as ‘The Cathedral’ of motorcycle racing, Assen is the only circuit on the MotoGP calendar that has hosted a round of the World Championship since its inception back in 1949. This weekend’s Grand Prix is the first of four in just five weekends for the MotoGP class, with races at Laguna Seca, Sachsenring and Donington Park set to follow before a well-earned summer break.

It promises to be a crucial period for the San Carlo Honda Gresini Team riders Alex De Angelis and Toni Elias, who have the opportunity to make up ground on their rivals after a crucial day of testing following the last race in Barcelona. Both riders have been troubled all season by a lack of rear grip and currently lie 13th and 14th respectively in the championship standings, but they are optimistic of climbing the table thanks to progress made with the set-up of their machines in the one-day session.

Over the years since the first running of the Dutch TT, which began much earlier than the World Championship, in 1925, the original road circuit was gradually altered, initially reduced some 59 years ago from 16km to 7.7km. In 1984 it was reduced further, to a little over 6km, before more alterations in 2006 saw it adapted to its current configuration, with the removal of the North Loop bringing the total length down to just 4.5km.

#15 ALEX DE ANGELIS

” I love Assen because it’s so fast, as is Laguna Seca, so I’m looking forward to the next two races with optimism. I know the results this season are not as good as the same stage one year ago but the races are much closer and I truly believe that with some small steps forward with the setting of the bike we can make up a lot of positions on the guys in front of us. It is vital that we keep this in mind, stay positive and continue to work because if you drop your guard in this series you can suddenly find yourself behind. I have a great record at Assen in the 250cc class but I crashed out of my first MotoGP race here last year on the opening lap so I want to make up for that with a solid performance this time around.”

#24 TONI ELIAS

“Assen has always been my favourite circuit because it is technical, fast and flowing, although it hasn’t always been kind to me. I missed the race completely in 2005 because of injury and then the year after that I crashed after just two laps of free practice and broke and dislocated my left shoulder. Then in 2007 I crashed again in free practice and broke my leg! Last year was the first time I had raced on the modified circuit and I finished twelfth, so hopefully that ended the jinx and we can look forward to a much better result this time around. We have been struggling for rear grip this season but we made some progress in the test at Barcelona after the race. It will be very interesting to see how these improvements transfer to Assen because I really feel like we deserve a top result after all the hard work the whole team is putting in.”

FAUSTO GRESINI – TEAM MANAGER

“Our results so far this season have not been good enough but the positive thing is that the whole team has shown their resilience and desire to continue working hard, as was evident in the test at Barcelona. We are working within our means and that is all I can ask of my staff. The goal for the rest of the season is to build and improve so that is all I am looking for in Holland. This is a legendary event and we have some great memories of this circuit, so hopefully a little bit of the magic can rub off on us again this weekend.”

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Repsol

With over a third of the season completed the World MotoGP Championship now goes to Assen in the Netherlands, one of the most historic races in the calendar, where traditionally the race is held on a Saturday instead of a Sunday. The circuit will host the first free practice session on Thursday, and the Repsol riders will start in good spirits after the recent race in Spain – the second on the peninsula in Barcelona.

Pedrosa has been able to give some much needed rest to his injured right hip after the super-human efforts he made in Barcelona, and Andrea Dovizioso, closer and closer to a podium finish, will be out to take the next step forward and finish among the first three.

After ten days of rest the Spanish rider is approaching the race where he will have to ride out of his skin to win points, something that will reconnect him with the MotoGP leaders, with a certain amount of caution. The Repsol rider will participate without being anywhere near 100% fit, but with the tranquility and reward of having won some very valuable points in the race on his home track, when the weekend had become something of a pain trial.

The practice sessions after the GP de Catalunya, held at the same place as the race, ended with a very pleased Andrea Dovizioso heading the leaderboard, something that will allow him to race in Holland full of confidence. He has been constantly improving so far this season and at the same time he has shown the consistency that has marked his whole career, and now the Repsol rider is getting closer and closer to being rewarded for all his efforts. And after seeing the improved bike in the Barcelona practice, his hopes are sky high in what will be the seventh race of the season.

In 125cc, the expectations of the Repsol riders are also very high, this is because the performance in the Barcelona race and the memory of the race 12 months ago, allow them to approach this GP with the realistic objective of getting a good result. One year ago the circuit of Assen saw an inspired Márquez with a chance of getting a good result, that was until rain interrupted the race and he fell when he was 6th.

His teammate back then, Esteve Rabat, was the rider who eventually occupied 6th position, but then just a few corners from the finish he was in the lead, after a final lap that left all his rivals trailing in his wake. But then a mistake did not let him taste the fruits of victory, his aim then is to make up for that disappointment. He will go with the hopes that the improvements found at the circuit de Catalunya, which let him ride much more comfortably, will let him finish higher up the classification.

For Scott Redding, the date in Holland is a chance to get back on the right track, where he had been in the previous few races, fighting in the leading group. Redding has already demonstrated that he is able to fight to get on the podium, and in Holland will get another chance to strengthen his position among the leaders. A little behind him is Cameron Beaubier who will go to the next race with different objectives, but with the same ambition. After almost winning points in Catalunya Beaubier goes to a circuit he discovered two years ago, and he will try to finish higher up and so get some more points for his collection.

Dani PEDROSA >>
“Since the race in Barcelona I’ve basically been resting, trying to give my hip as much chance to improve as possible. Obviously there hasn’t been a lot of time – just over one week – but I certainly feel a lot better now than immediately after the last race when I was totally exhausted. I’m feeling positive about the weekend and we’ll just have to see how it goes when riding starts on Thursday. My intention would be to ride without receiving any pain-killing injections because gradually they lose their effectiveness and they are not something I want to rely on – we’ll see how the feeling is when I start to ride.  Assen is a track with good memories for me because I won my first GP here and I’ve had quite a few podiums here too. The recent changes where they shortened the circuit have removed some of its character but it still requires a lot of commitment to ride it well – especially through the fast direction changes where you need an agile machine set-up. The atmosphere is always special here because it’s such a historic place, so I’m looking forward to getting out on track again.”

Andrea DOVIZIOSO >>
“I’ve been really looking forward to getting back on the bike since we left Catalunya last week. We had a positive test on the Monday after the Barcelona race and that, combined with the constant improvement we’ve been making race after race, means I’m very confident. So I’m look forward to getting back in the garage with the team, continuing to work on our machine package and to getting a good result in Assen. I’ve been really close the podium in the last three rounds and at the same time closing the time gap to the race winner, so I’m determined to get into the top three as soon as possible – hopefully this weekend. Assen is not actually one of my favourite tracks though. Since the layout modifications, the fascination of the circuit has been lost a little, but still I have good memories of last year’s race where I finished fifth after qualifying 11th. It’s a circuit of two sections – the first part is quite slow while the second part is more technically demanding – and the weather can also play its part in the Netherlands too. But whatever happens, I’m looking forward to another strong weekend for me and the team.”

Marc MÁRQUEZ >>
“In Holland last year things went quite well for me. I was 6th until it rained and then I fell, but the important thing is that I managed to get some very good sensations. So now I hope that I can ride with confidence, above all after the GP de Catalunya where I went quite well. We will try to improve some more, with both me and the bike making progress. This is a circuit where acceleration is important, precisely the thing that perhaps we are most lacking, but I have a lot of confidence in the work that they are doing at KTM. This is a track that has a bit of everything, the first part is very slow, and the second is very fast; I like it a lot.”

Esteve RABAT >>
“I like the circuit of Assen a lot, becaue it has slow corners, others that are faster and the asphalt has good grip. Last year I almost won the race, I moved into the lead on the final lap but I made a mistake right at the end, so I hope to be up with the leaders again. I am really looking forward to it because I think I put in a good race at Montmeló, not so much for the result but because of the sensations I had riding the bike. We were able to understand some things on the bike and I am sure that this will help us do well in the next few races.”

Scott REDDING >>
“I don`t know how the bike will react in Assen, but I quite like this circuit. I remember that it has a lot of bumps, the asphalt is quite old, so we will see how things go when we are there. You need a fast bike, but at the same time it has to be very agile because there are very tight corners and the final sector is very fast.”

Cameron BEAUBIER >>
“I like Assen a lot, it is a very pretty track. I was there two years ago in the Rookies Cup, and it rained in almost all the practice sessions, although the race was in the dry. I am dying to go there, start to ride and do some laps so as to get the hang of the circuit, because I am really still just a novice there. Here, with so many fast riders, you can follow one of them and get used to the speeds, because the pace of the rookies compared to that in 125cc is obviously quite different. Race after race we are improving and that is important, because all the times are very similar. If we take just another little step forward I think I can fight to win some points, and so that will be our objective.”

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Bridgestone

Bridgestone MotoGP Preview – Round 7: Netherlands, Assen
Tuesday 23 June 2009
Tyre compounds available: Front: Soft, Medium. Rear: Soft, Medium
As MotoGP heads to Assen for the Dutch GP, round seven marks a return to softer compound Bridgestone slicks after the sweltering heat of Catalunya.

As the paddock has become accustomed to this year, there is again the ever-present chance of rain at Assen, and coupled with the cooler track temperatures, Bridgestone will also bring the softer compound wet tyres in readiness.

Assen is a circuit of two halves following its modification in 2006 which reduced its length to its present 4.555km. The surface is inconsistent as a result and the mix of newer and older asphalt offers differing levels of grip and abrasion, testing the broad operating range of Bridgestone’s tyres and making it tricky in the wet. The circuit also boasts an impressive 17 corners, giving the tyres a continual and intense workout. The nature of the track mixes fast and flowing corners with sections of heavy braking that demand good stability on the way in and good traction on the exit.

Corners such as the 200km/h+ Ramshoek demand absolute commitment and really test the shoulder grip of the Bridgestones. The first few corners, from Haarbocht to De Strubben, are linked as one and gradually tighten, requiring good right shoulder durability from the tyres. Heavy braking into De Bult, the left-handed turn ten, and famously into G.T Bocht, the final chicane just before the finish line, offer further overtaking opportunities but really load the front tyres, requiring riders to have confidence in their front end grip.

Last year Assen was round nine on the calendar and the top three riders arrived in the Netherlands separated by 45 points. This season, the first for MotoGP with Bridgestone as the Official Tyre Supplier, it is much tighter at the top with Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo and Casey Stoner tied on an equal 106 points. In 2008 a dominating performance by Stoner and the Ducati Team gave the first Ducati/Bridgestone win at Assen.

Hiroshi Yamada – Bridgestone Motorsport – Manager Motorcycle Sport Unit
“For the first time in Assen, each rider has been able to choose, immediately after the Catalunya GP, whether they wish to use four of each compound of front slick tyre or three of one and five of the other. I think this will put more emphasis on the teams’ and riders’ choices and utilisation of front tyres, and we may start to see greater variation in front compound usage which will lead to a trade-off between warm-up performance and durability over a race distance. I hope the weather is good and we can see another great battle again this weekend like in Catalunya!”

Tohru Ubukata – Bridgestone Motorsport – Manager Motorcycle Race Tyre Development
“Since it was re-profiled, the shorter Assen circuit has inconsistent asphalt with a newer first sector and an older, more traditional track layout. There are limited overtaking opportunities unless you are brave, especially in the slower first corners, so a strong qualifying performance is vital. The first part of the lap is a very tight, slow section which is followed by a series of complex 90-degree corners so braking stability and shoulder grip and durability are key. We expect lower track temperatures here during the race weekend and the remodelled first sector of the track has newer asphalt which is more slippery, so we have chosen to bring softer compounds of our slick tyre.”

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Red Bull MotoGP Rookies  Cup

The fourth race of the season, the Dutch round of the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup at Assen, sees the best teenage racers in the World go head to head for glory. Cup leader Sturla Fagerhaug, the 17 year old Norwegian, knows that he will be under the greatest pressure from 26 other Rookies all looking to put a dent in his points lead.

The 20 point advantage that Fagerhaug has over Danny Kent could all be reversed by a single mistake but Sturla knows what he has to do. “For sure during practice the important thing is to get a good race set up. I want to have a reasonable place on the grid but more important than that is that I don’t make a mess of the start. I think I understand a bit better what I have to do so I don’t flood the engine like in Mugello. I’ve just got to get it right this time.”

“Assen is a good track with a really good flow, it has some easy sections and some difficult ones, the corner onto the back straight and the final chicane are quite tricky. The track isn’t as wide as Mugello so you can’t just run wide like you can there. If the other riders think about it they will be more accurate and not mess each other up when overtaking but I’m not sure they will change.”

“For sure winning in Assen is not going to be easy, Jakub (Kornfeil) was riding very well in Mugello and he should be good again. There is Daijiro (Hiura) of course he is always fast, Mathew (Scholtz) was going fast in Assen last year until he crashed and Alex (Kristiansson) will be good, he has ridden there before.”

“Im feeling good about the race, I think I am riding well and my second Wild Card ride in the Grand Prix in Barcelona was a great experience. Of course the level is very high and I think the way I rode in the opening laps was the best I have ever ridden. After about 7 laps the rear tyre started sliding a lot through the right handers and I thought something was wrong. I was lapping about a second quicker than I had in practice but it still felt strange so I dropped back. It was a great experience though and I am hoping to get other GP Wild Card rides in Mugello and Estoril.”

Other Rookies with good Barcelona experiences to talk about when they get to Assen are Xavier Figueras, Arthur Sissis, Alejandro Pardo and Mathew Scholtz as they all spent 3 days there cross training the week before their race in Assen. “It was a lot of fun,” said 16 year old South African Scholtz. “We were working hard, and it’s a really good experience. I really liked the motocross and supermotard. The hardest thing was the gym work, the circuit training.”

After crashing out of 2nd place in Assen last year Scholtz is determined to do better this year and also put the last corner fall in Mugello behind him, though that was not his fault. “Hopefully I’m going to do better than in the last few races because the Mugello
crash was not so good. I really hope to do well because I really like the circuit.”

For one Rookie Assen is even more important; Dutch 14 year old Guest Rider Thomas van Leeuwen has only his second ride on the KTM RC125, at least he knows his home circuit but it will not be easy, racing against the other 26 who have much more time on the bikes. “Every time I went out on the KTM in Mugello I got a better feeling for it,” says Van Leeuwen. “I think it will be the same in Assen, I will get more used to the bike and this time I know the track, I like Assen.

“For me riding at the Dutch TT is a dream, very special. I don’t feel pressure but I know it will be hard work as well as a lot of fun.”

Practice starts on Thursday June 25th and after more practice on Friday the 16 lap race is on Saturday, after the MotoGP event, at 15.30 CET. The race can bee seen live on the Rookies website www.redbullrookiescup.com with an improved feed rate over the earlier rounds. Those early races can also be found on the site, in the Rookies TV section.

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Ducati Marlboro

For the first time in the history of the MotoGP World Championship there are three riders tied at the top of the standings as the season enters its seventh round, each one of them having taken two wins each from the opening six races. Casey Stoner, Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi have filled the rostrum on three occasions already and whilst the Yamaha pair each have one more podium than the Ducati man, Stoner has not finished outside the top five yet this season.

That his Ducati has allowed him to be competitive at different circuits and in different circumstances is a fact the Australian has been quick to underline, in particular after his hard-fought podium in Catalunya, when his physical condition was far from perfect. The Ducati Marlboro Team rider was even more satisfied after the post-race test in Barcelona and now he can’t wait to get back on track in Assen, where he has previously scored a first and a second place on the Desmosedici.

Nicky Hayden also has a great relationship with the Dutch TT circuit, having taken a victory there in 2006, a third place in 2007 and a fourth in 2008 when his bike ran out of fuel in the final corner and denied him a certain podium. The American left Catalunya with mixed feelings last week – pleased with his best race weekend of the season so far but disappointed with the test on the following day, when he wasn’t quite able to match the competitive lap times set by his factory colleagues. Always a man to look on the bright side, the Ducati Marlboro Team rider is confident that his team have taken a major step forward with his race set-up and he is desperate to prove it with another good result at one of his favourite circuits.

LIVIO SUPPO, MotoGP Project Director
“The weekend in Barcelona was really important for us. We started to see the fruit of all the hard work being done by Filippo and his guys, as well as Vitto, and it looks like the development route we’re taking with the GP9 promises to make it even more competitive. We need to continue to give our maximum both to Casey, who is fighting in one of the closest championship battles for years, and to Nicky, who has shown that he has the ability to adapt to the characteristics of our bike, which is more difficult for him than it is for other riders because he had spent so many years on the same machine before this. Both Casey and Nicky like Assen so I’m sure they’ll both be giving everything for a top result.”

CASEY STONER, Ducati Marlboro Team (3rd in the championship on 106 points)
“Assen is a strange track for me because before I rode there in MotoGP it was one of my favourite circuits but one where I never managed to get great results in the smaller categories. Then in 2006 I had a decent result and since then, with the Ducati, I’ve always been fast. Considering the fact that the GP9 has already shown that it is competitive on a variety of circuits, I can’t wait to get back to Assen. Ideally we’d like another weekend of consistent good weather so that we can work on the bike and find a bit more rear grip, which is the only thing we’re missing at the moment. The rest of the bike is great – it is turning well and the front is really stable under braking. I wasn’t really fit at the test and I didn’t do a lot of laps but we did what we needed to and now we’ll try and take advantage of that work in the next race.”

NICKY HAYDEN, Ducati Marlboro Team (15th in the championship on 19 points)
“Assen is a special circuit for me – I love it here. The final split is my favourite because you have a run of fast corners that are crucial to a fast lap. The weather can change from one minute to the next so it will be important to make the most of all the track time available to us. I’ve had some of the best races of my career at Assen, like the fight for the win with Colin (Edwards) in 2006, which is my favourite. In 2007 I finished third and the last year I had the heart break to loose the podium in the last corner! We know we have a lot of work to do but myself and the team are hoping that the Catalunya race was the start of a major turnaround that we can continue to build on until the end of the season.”

THE TRACK
Assen is the only circuit that has stayed as part of the World Championship since the first season back in 1949. In 2006 it under went major alterations, with the removal of the majority of the Northen Loop section, making way for the TT World fans’ area. The rest of the circuit retains much of its original character, making it one of the most technical and physically demanding circuits on the calendar. Unlike a lot of other circuits, which feature long straights and medium-fast corners, Assen is tight, flowing and characterised by high-speed corners and quick changes in direction. Even the surface is unusual, with many sections cambered in the style of a public road to aid drainage.

ASSEN CIRCUIT RECORDS

Circuit Record: Casey Stoner (Ducati – 2008), 1’36.738 – 169.509 Km/h
Best Pole: Casey Stoner (Ducati – 2008), 1’35.520 – 171.670 Km/h
Circuit Length: 4.555 km
MotoGP Race 2009: 26 laps (118.43 km)
MotoGP Timetable 2009: 14:00 Central Europe Time

Podium 2008 : 1st Casey Stoner, 2nd Dani Pedrosa, 3rd Colin Edwards
Pole 2008: Casey Stoner (Ducati – 2008), 1’35.520 – 171.670 Km/h

DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM’S BEST RESULTS AT ASSEN
2008: 1st (Stoner)
2007: 2nd (Stoner)
2006: 12th (Hofmann)
2005: 7th (Checa)
2004: 8th (Capirossi)
2003: 6th (Capirossi)

DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM – RIDER INFO

CASEY STONER
Age: 22 (Born 16th October 1985 in Southport, Queensland, Australia )
Residency: Switzerland
Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP9
GP Appearances: 119 (58xMotoGP, 31×250, 30×125)
GP Victories: 25 (18xMotoGP, 5×250, 2×125)
First GP victory: Valencia, 2003 (125)
First GP: Great Britain, 2001 (125)
Pole positions: 20 (16xMotoGP, 2×250, 2×125)
First pole position: Italy, 2003 (125)
World Titles: 1 (MotoGP, 2007)

MotoGP track record at Assen:
2008: Qualified: 1st.  Race: 1st
2007: Qualified: 2nd.  Race: 2nd
2006: Qualified: 12th. Race: 4th

NICKY HAYDEN
Age: 27 (born 30th July 1981 in Owensboro, Kentucky, USA)
Residency: Owensboro, Kentucky, USA
Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP9
GP Appearances: 105 (105xMotoGP)
First GP: Japan, 2003 (MotoGP)
Number of victories: 3 (3xMotoGP)
First GP victory: USGP, 2005 (MotoGP)
Pole positions: 5 (5xMotoGP)
First Pole: USGP, 2005 (MotoGP)
World Titles: 1 (MotoGP, 2006)

MotoGP track record at Assen:
2008: Qualified: 4th. Race: 4th
2007: Qualified: 13th. Race: 3rd
2006: Qualified: 4th. Race: 1st
2005: Qualified: 5th. Race: 4th
2004: Qualified: 16th. Race: 5th
2003: Qualified: 12th. Race: 11th

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MotoGP

Round seven of the 2009 FIM MotoGP World Championship takes place this coming weekend in The Netherlands with the Alice TT Assen giving Valentino Rossi the chance to turn up the heat on his title rivals at one of the most popular circuits on the calendar.

Last season Rossi had his worst result of the year at the Dutch track when he crashed early in the race and fought back to finish 11th, but he is traditionally a strong performer at Assen with victories to his name in all three categories there – four of those in the premier class.

Following his epic battle with his Fiat Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo in Barcelona Rossi will aim to maintain his championship momentum with another win, but he knows that Lorenzo and Ducati Marlboro’s Casey Stoner – who are both tied with the Italian on 106 points at the head of the standings – will also be pushing to the maximum at ‘the Cathedral of motorcycling’.

Lorenzo also has a good record at Assen, having won there in the 250cc and 125cc classes, and the 22 year-old Spanish star refers to the circuit as his favourite MotoGP venue. Having been beaten by Rossi by just 0.095s in his home Grand Prix Lorenzo will be desperate for revenge in Saturday’s race.

Last year’s Dutch race winner Stoner is likely to be a far stronger victory candidate than in Catalunya where he rode heroically to finish on the podium despite being unwell, finishing just in front of Andrea Dovizioso before almost collapsing as he dismounted his Ducati Desmosedici GP9.

Repsol Honda’s Dovizioso has been fractions of a second off the rostrum in the last three races and should any of the current top three slip up in The Netherlands the young Italian will hope to take advantage.

Two points behind his factory Honda colleague in the standings, meanwhile, Dani Pedrosa should be in better physical shape than in Barcelona where he took sixth place despite riding with the painful right hip injury which he sustained at Mugello in the previous round.

Veteran American rider Colin Edwards is currently sixth in the classification and the visit to Assen takes him back to the scene of his infamous 2006 crash which saw him miss out on victory on the final corner. Edwards was seventh in Barcelona and is currently enjoying a consistent run of form.

Also currently occupying top ten championship positions Italian competitors Marco Melandri (Hayate Racing) and Loris Capirossi (Rizla Suzuki), along with Frenchman Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda) and Capirossi’s Australian colleague Chris Vermeulen will all be in the hunt for good points at round seven.

The Suzuki riders will get a second chance to use their new GSV-R 800cc engines which they debuted last time out in the Catalunya contest but were unable to use in the important Monday post-race test, whilst a number of teams will continue working with new material which they tested at the Montmeló circuit.

250cc

The World Championship’s visit to northern Holland sees the riders in the 250cc category lining up for their seventh race of the 2009 season, before a short break whilst the MotoGP field heads onto Laguna Seca and then a return to action in the double header at Sachsenring and Donington Park later next month.

After the Alice TT Assen the championship picture will be more developed, though Spanish rider Álvaro Bautista has already emerged as a strong title challenger, with four podiums and two victories to his name thus far in 2009.

The Mapfre Aspar rider – who also won last year at Assen – was a highly popular winner in front of nearly 90,000 passionate fans in Barcelona, the crowd celebrating wildly as he crossed the line more than seven seconds ahead of nearest rival Hiroshi Aoyama.

At the head of the general standings Bautista has a 12 point advantage over Aoyama, with the Japanese Scot Honda rider having one win and two further podiums under his belt this year. Aoyama has never achieved a rostrum finish on Dutch ground and he was sixth in last year’s race.

Another Spaniard, Héctor Barberá, came home in third place behind Bautista and Aoyama in Catalunya and currently lies third in the standings, just ahead of Italian rider Mattia Pasini who was fourth in the last race and is fourth overall.

World Champion Marco Simoncelli has dropped down the rankings to fifth place having crashed and retired in Barcelona and he now trails Bautista by 47 points, meaning he must improve his form significantly if he wishes to retain the title.

Behind Simoncelli in the top ten are the likes of Thomas Luthi, Raffaele de Rosa, Héctor Faubel, Roberto Locatelli and Jules Cluzel, all of whom will aim to get straight on the pace on Thursday when 250cc free practice commences.

125cc

The Assen trip cannot arrive quickly enough for Júlian Simón, who currently leads the way in the single cylinder class and is desperate to put the painful memories of the Barcelona race firmly behind him.

Although Simón came out of the Catalunya weekend with a 1.5 point advantage over his Bancaja Aspar colleague Bradley Smith, the conclusion of 125cc contest was a complete fiasco for the Spanish rider who celebrated a victory one lap too early and was then heartbreakingly denied a podium spot by another teammate, Sergio Gadea, in a photo finish.

Such is Simón’s strength of character and the general form he has shown in 2009, however, it would not be a huge surprise to see him bounce straight back with a win at Assen. One man who will aim to stand in his way will be Englishman Smith, who looked somewhat off-colour during the last GP, but is also generally having a fine season.

Back in the title picture after a brief dip in results Iannone (Ongetta Team I.S.P.A.) took full advantage of Simón’s Barcelona mishap to win for the third time this season. The Italian sits 12.5 points beneath Simón in the classification and is likely to be amongst the frontrunners again in The Netherlands.

Beyond the top three the aforementioned Gadea (also Bancaja Aspar) and his fellow Spaniard Nico Terol (Jack & Jones Team) are both also in good form and could well be in the hunt for podium places on Saturday.

Free practice at the Alice TT Assen commences on Thursday 25th June at 12.40pm for the 125cc category, at 1.55pm for the premier class riders and at 3.10pm for the 250cc competitors, with the races taking place on Saturday as has traditionally been the case at this particular round.

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Fiat Yamaha

The all-conquering Fiat Yamaha Team of Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo move north through Europe this weekend for the historic Dutch TT at Assen. Following their show-stopping performance in Spain last time out, which saw Rossi better Lorenzo by just a split second, the pair will be targeting a repeat performance this weekend. With two wins apiece already this season the World Champion and the Leading Rookie of 2008 currently share the championship lead with Casey Stoner – all three are tied on 106 points with six races gone.

After two wins this season Rossi is approaching yet another incredible milestone in his charmed career; he now lies on 99 wins and another on Saturday would see him as only the second rider in Grand Prix history to reach 100 wins, the other being the great Giacomo Agostini. The Italian maverick has six victories to his name at the track but has had a turbulent last few years there. Following a brace of wins in his first two years with Yamaha he injured himself in practice in 2006 but rode through the pain to finish eighth, before winning in stunning style from 11th on the grid in 2007. Last year he made a rare mistake and crashed on the first lap but made up a gap of more than 20 seconds with a damaged bike to finish 11th. Following a set-up overhaul in Barcelona the 30-year-old is in blistering form and will be hoping to make it two on the bounce at one of his favourite tracks.

Assen is 22-year-old Lorenzo’s favourite circuit and the youngster certainly has an impressive track record there, having won there once in 125cc and twice in the 250cc class on the way to his two world championships. He finished sixth there last year but after his stunning performance at home last time out he will not be happy with anything but a return to the podium for the sixth time this season and he will be doing everything possible to take back the advantage from his team-mate following their Montmeló thriller. A hard day’s work at the post-race test in Barcelona has put the Mallorcan on an even sounder footing with his M1-Bridgestone package and he is confident that he will once again be a part of the story in Assen.

One of the most technically and physically demanding circuits on the calendar for the MotoGP riders, Assen has barely a straight piece of tarmac in sight. Handling is a major focal point due to high-speed chicanes and dramatic camber changes – the latter, in some places, resembling the profile of the public roads that the original circuit was based around – features that have traditionally favoured the nimble YZR-M1.

Valentino Rossi: “Assen is a very special track for all riders and it is a wonderful place to ride a MotoGP bike, even if it was better before they changed the layout. Last year I had my worst point of the season there so I want to make up for that with a good performance, because the fans are very passionate and they deserve a good show. After Barcelona we know how strong we are but also our rivals are strong too so we can’t afford to relax, we have to keep pushing. Montmeló was fantastic, one of my best wins ever, but the championship is very close between the three of us and so we have to try to win again to take the lead. There is still a long way to go but we have to remain consistent.”

Jorge Lorenzo: “I could never have imagined after the crash in Jerez that I would have the opportunity to become leader again so quickly, but here we are at the front with Casey and Valentino! The last three races have been fantastic and almost unbelievable, and now for the three of us it’s almost like we’re starting the championship all over again. Assen is my favourite track and I am going there feeling very confident in my bike and my Bridgestone tyres and with all the team feeling very motivated. Last year I was sixth so the most important thing is to improve on that, but of course I am aiming for another podium, because consistency is the way to remain close to the top of the standings. We had a positive test in Barcelona and now I will hope to show our improvements with an even better performance in Holland.”

Davide Brivio: “After such a great race in Barcelona we’re excited about getting back on track and seeing what happens next! We had a good test after the race and it was well worth the effort to go back out on track, even after such a hard day’s racing. We did some good work and collected important information, which we hope will be useful over the next few races, because now we have a very busy period with four races in five weeks. Valentino has had some great races at Assen, last year was a bad moment but we are feeling very strong right now and we’re confident that we will be able to put on another great show.”

Daniele Romagnoli: “We’re approaching Assen on a roll and following a useful day’s testing in Barcelona. The race there was fantastic and we were able to make more progress on the Monday in order to improve our setting further for the next five weeks, which will be very intense. We need to keep working and keep focused, as we have since the start of the season, because this year is shaping up to be a great battle of which Jorge is a part. Assen is a totally different track to Montmeló and Mugello and it will require a different set-up we’re confident that we will be able to find a good balance straight away, It’s one of Jorge’s favourite tracks so we’re looking forward to seeing him put on another great show there.”

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Repsol Honda

The Repsol Honda Team heads to this weekend’s Dutch TT at Assen with a spring in its step after the promising results from the test session that followed the last race in Catalunya. With the latest modifications to the RC212V allowing Andrea Dovizioso to set the fastest time of all the MotoGP riders a week ago – significantly quicker than race pace the previous day – hopes are high within the factory Honda squad that both riders will be competing at the front this weekend.

Dovizioso made full use of the modified chassis he tried at the Catalunya test and will be eager to see if the improvements to handling he experienced at the Spanish track will translate to the famous curves of the Assen circuit. The 23-year-old Italian has finished each of the last three races less than a second from the podium and his motivation will be high this weekend. And though he has scored only one podium finish from his previous outings at the Dutch TT – a third place in 2006 in the 250cc class – his determined fight from 11th on the grid to 5th at the finish in the MotoGP race last year proves that Dovizioso has what it takes to master the challenge of Assen.

Dani Pedrosa arrives in the Netherlands having taken some valuable time to rest after his remarkable injury-defying performance at the last race in Catalunya. The tough Spaniard is determined to reignite his championship challenge after a tough few weeks. Depending on the feeling from his injured hip as he prepares to take to the track on Thursday, he will decide with his doctors whether to once again make use of painkilling injections this weekend. Pedrosa took his first ever Grand Prix victory at Assen – at the age of just 16 on a 125cc Honda in 2002. In last year’s race he retook the lead of the World Championship by finishing second and, if he is able to ride at full pace this weekend, the 23-year-old triple World Champion is sure to figure at the front of the pack.

The Dutch TT marks the first of four races in just five weekends and launches the Repsol Honda Team into the busiest part of the 2009 MotoGP season. Dovizioso and Pedrosa, who lie fourth and fifth in the World Championship for the factory Honda squad, know that the next few weeks will do much to shape the outcome of their season. As is traditional, the Dutch TT takes place on the last Saturday of June, meaning that the weekend programme begins a day earlier than usual, with first practice starting at 13.55 on Thursday afternoon.

ANDREA DOVIZIOSO – World championship position: 4th, 69 points
“I’ve been really looking forward to getting back on the bike since we left Catalunya last week. We had a positive test on the Monday after the Barcelona race and that, combined with the constant improvement we’ve been making race after race, means I’m very confident. So I’m look forward to getting back in the garage with the team, continuing to work on our machine package and to getting a good result in Assen. I’ve been really close the podium in the last three rounds and at the same time closing the time gap to the race winner, so I’m determined to get into the top three as soon as possible – hopefully this weekend. Assen is not actually one of my favourite tracks though. Since the layout modifications, the fascination of the circuit has been lost a little, but still I have good memories of last year’s race where I finished fifth after qualifying 11th. It’s a circuit of two sections – the first part is quite slow while the second part is more technically demanding – and the weather can also play its part in the Netherlands too. But whatever happens, I’m looking forward to another strong weekend for me and the team.”

DANI PEDROSA – World championship position: 5th, 67 points
“Since the race in Barcelona I’ve basically been resting, trying to give my hip as much chance to improve as possible. Obviously there hasn’t been a lot of time – just over one week – but I certainly feel a lot better now than immediately after the last race when I was totally exhausted. I’m feeling positive about the weekend and we’ll just have to see how it goes when riding starts on Thursday. My intention would be to ride without receiving any pain-killing injections because gradually they lose their effectiveness and they are not something I want to rely on – we’ll see how the feeling is when I start to ride. Assen is a track with good memories for me because I won my first GP here and I’ve had quite a few podiums here too. The recent changes where they shortened the circuit have removed some of its character but it still requires a lot of commitment to ride it well – especially through the fast direction changes where you need an agile machine set-up. The atmosphere is always special here because it’s such a historic place, so I’m looking forward to getting out on track again.”

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Rizla Suzuki

The MotoGP “Cathedral” of Assen in the Netherlands awaits Rizla Suzuki this coming Saturday, as the MotoGP field descends upon the famous circuit for the Dutch TT.
Chris Vermeulen heads to the land of his ancestors determined to return a good result at the 4,555m Assen circuit. He has had some promising performances at the Dutch track – including pole position in 2007 – but has yet to break into the top-six in a MotoGP race. Vermeulen had a successful post-Catalunya test and will be using many of the improvements he took from there as he prepares his assault for glory.

Loris Capirossi will be planning to build upon the form that has seen him take successive fifth places at the last two events. Capirossi is eager to get back on track and carry on from where he left off at Catalunya, believing that a lot of the data collected at the Spanish track will stand him in good stead at Assen. Capirossi will also be determined to extinguish the memory of the crash he suffered at last year’s Dutch TT that kept him out of the race and forced him to miss the next MotoGP event.

Assen is one of the most famous circuits in Grand Prix racing, and although the venue has altered considerably from the original road track, it is the only location on the current calendar that has staged Grand Prix races since the inception of the championship in 1949. Although numerous changes were made to the present circuit layout in 2007 for safety reasons, it still retains its magic and most riders look forward to racing there.

Rizla Suzuki takes to the track for the first free practice session on Thursday afternoon, followed by the second – and final – free session on Friday morning. Vermeulen and Capirossi will be out in the Friday afternoon qualifying session to challenge for the best grid positions for Saturday’s race. The 26-lap Assen Grand Prix is the only venue on the MotoGP calendar that holds the race on a Saturday and the main event gets underway at 1400hrs local time (12.00hrs GMT).

Chris Vermeulen:
“I really look forward to going to Assen. Holland is where my family came from so there are always people around that remember my Grandfather and tell me how they are related to me – so I feel like a bit of me is coming home! We had a good test after the Catalunya race and if we can translate that into the forthcoming weekend then I am sure we can be competitive. I enjoy riding at Assen and I have won there in World Superbikes, but I have never quite got the results I think I’ve deserved – or certainly wanted – in MotoGP. I hope this will be the weekend when that all changes!”

Loris Capirossi:
“I am still very happy from my performance in Catalunya, but this is a whole new race and we have to begin again. We used the new engine specification in Spain and then did a lot of testing with new parts on the Monday so we have a lot of data to use for this weekend. We hope we’ll use the new spec engine again at Assen but it is still being developed and Suzuki needs to check everything, so we will just have to wait and see. I really want to carry on with the good progress we are making, especially at Assen because I didn’t get the chance to race there last year. I also want to do well for Rizla – they deserve a good result at what is really their ‘home’ racetrack.”